


Mate

by somethinginbetween



Series: Lunae [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-15 11:27:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29313297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/somethinginbetween/pseuds/somethinginbetween
Summary: The Stilinskis were shrewd, clever. Stiles had a plan, and it was going to work unless Derek could outthink him.
Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Series: Lunae [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2153103
Comments: 16
Kudos: 95





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a sequel to Lunae. I couldn't decide which ending to do so I said 'frick it' and did both of them.
> 
> Each chapter in 'Perish' occurs in the same time period as 'Mate." This makes for some short chapters and some too long chapters.

If they couldn’t find him by the next day then they’d send the castle after him. But it wouldn’t come to that, Derek promised himself as they ran. It wouldn’t.

Derek was searching with Boyd and Cora due North toward the seaside. It was the most likely direction to find him. His trail had led in that direction but Derek had lost the scent a while back. 

Anxiety thrummed in his stomach. If Stiles was discovered by someone that wasn’t them he’d be raped, killed even. Held as a hostage for blackmail. He put the thought out of his mind. They’d find him before then.

Boyd grabbed his arm, “We have to stop. We can’t keep at this pace forever.”

He grit his teeth but allowed for a rest. They'd be stronger together.

Cora leaned against a tree breathing heavily, “If we don’t find him, one of the other search parties will. It’s going to be okay.”

It wasn’t going to be okay. Night had fallen and the night was dark. They’d traveled many leagues and there was no sign.

He paused for a moment, thinking.

Stiles couldn’t have had help. He had nothing and no one. The horses were all accounted for and the stableman loyal. Stiles was an omega, on foot, still getting used to his powers. They should have found him by now. There’s no way he could have made it this far. He must have gone in one of the other directions.

But he’d heard not one howl from any of the search groups. They hadn’t found anything either.

Stillsea had once stood just as alone as Stiles. He had taken their villages and their mills and pushed them to the ocean. Their allies had abandoned them and Derek could taste victory as he boarded his ship, part of a fleet that was twice the size of Stillseas.

But Stiles had won anyway. Derek’s bullheaded lieutenant had broken through the left flank and instead of meeting them in battle, Stiles had retreated. But it was only a ploy because he turned, forcing them backward against the jagged rocks. They’d had to fight their way out, losing a good portion of their fleet.

The Stilinskis were shrewd, clever. Stiles had a plan, and it was going to work unless Derek could outthink him.

He turned around, “Boyd, continue North. If you don’t find anything by daybreak, come back. Cora, you’re with me.”

Cora was still breathing heavily, “Where are we going?”

▲▲▲

The moon had risen to its peak by the time they arrived back at Lunae. The courtyard was deserted, only the guards stood watch.

They combed through the grounds, going over the scent that led North. He must have made that to throw them off. The wolf inside him preened as they made their way back to the castle. What a clever mate he’d chosen.

Derek had been running through this forest since their birth. He closed his eyes, scenting the air. All the smells were in their proper place, they belonged. Except….

The smell of eucalyptus was there, but it wasn’t the light dusting that usually swept through the air. It was heavier. He followed his nose. On the ground, a drop of oil. He crouched down to study it. Weres were especially attuned to their mates and underneath the drop, Derek could just make it out, was the fading scent of Stiles.

“I’ve got him.” Derek called out and Cora appeared by his side, “He’s used drops of eucalyptus to hide his scent."

She cocked her head, “Smart Omega.”

“Call them back. He’s got them on a wild goose chase. I’m going after him.”

“We are behind you. Bring him home.”

He set off, Cora’s howl resounding behind him.

Derek set a hard and steady pace. His wolf was wagging his tail gleefully as he followed the drops of oil but he stuffed it down. This wasn’t the days of old, where Alphas would chase and capture their chosen Omegas. This was now, and Stiles was missing and could be hurt.

He could outrun Stiles. He was an omega and a new one at that. But even if Derek didn’t succeed here, Stiles would be captured regardless. This was the land of the wolves. If he wasn’t found by morning then Talia would send the whole of Lunae to search. Stiles would be brought back at great embarrassment, but brought back all the same.

The faint traces of Stiles’ smell brought him to a pond. He’d come here often with Laura and Cora during the summer to catch fish and play at war.

He stopped to drink, before beginning to look for more smears of oil. But as he searched around the pond, he found no clues. No scent, no oil.

Stiles might have used the lake to clear his scent, but swimming in this weather would be a death sentence. Had he been that desperate?

He began to follow the river. It was the most likely path Stiles would take. The moon was low in the sky when he turned back toward the pond, cursing himself.

Stupid stupid stupid. How often would he fall for this trick? If there was no scent after the pond, it meant that Stiles never left.

How many times had they fought over that stupid conclave behind the water? Cora had found it one day and it had been the subject of many battles among them.

And Stiles had been smart enough to find it as well.

He howled into the sky: I’ve found him. Don’t worry.

He climbed the ledge, almost slipping into the water. But behind the rush of water, he heard a heartbeat as familiar as his own.

He picked up Stiles in his arms. The omega was sound asleep, but cold and damp. Derek held him close, willing his body heat toward him.

▲▲▲

When Stiles woke it was warm inside the den. Dim light filtered through and he stretched, cuddling closer to the alpha behind him. Alpha? The gears began to turn. Alpha Derek. He jerked away, hitting his arm on the wall and wincing in pain.

“Good morning Stiles.” Derek said nonchalantly, not even bothering to open his eyes.

All common sense had fled his body as Stiles scrambled away.

He slipped more than he climbed his way down the ledge and began to sprint away but at that point he knew it was hopeless. He’d been caught. All his plans had failed. All his efforts had been for naught. But he had to run, for himself. For Stillsea. Just to prove that he’d tried everything.

Chase. Derek’s wolf said to him. Take. Claim. Yours. Derek tackled him, pinning the omega to the dirt. 

His fangs were out and he breathed lightly over Stiles’ neck, before pulling himself back.

Angry tears were falling from Stiles’ eyes and he turned over and hit the Alpha on the chest with his palms, letting out his frustration.

Derek just let him.

When he was done, they sat by the riverside, watching the forest.

“Are we going back now?”

“Yes.” Derek said. No need to draw it out.

“Okay.”

More silence.

“Are you going to try and run away again?” Derek asked.

“I doubt I’ll be given the chance.”

“Probably not.”

Derek carved a wolf into the dirt with a rock before he drew up the courage to ask a question he’d been wanting to ask for a while, “If you’re so unhappy at Lunae, then why did you choose to mate me?”

Stiles jerked up to look at him in surprise, “Are you seriously asking me that?”

Derek looked at him, dark eyes earnest and quizzical.

Stiles snorted, “I didn’t want to die.”

“You didn’t want to die?”

“Unfortunately I’m too much of a coward to meet death. So I chose marriage instead.”

“I wasn’t aware you were given those two options.”

The way he phased it gave Stiles pause, “Did I have more options?”

Derek cleared his throat, “We didn’t exactly discuss it but we probably would have sent you away somewhere.”

Stiles’ understanding was sudden, “Erica lied to me.”

Derek grit his teeth, ‘Her, or someone else.” Derek’s anger carried him to his feet. He extended a hand to Stiles, “We need to go back. I need to have a conversation with someone.”

Stiles stared at his hand, before accepting it and standing up.

“I’m sorry.” Derek rubbed his neck, “And I know that doesn’t change anything or fix anything, but I am sorry. And as much as I would like to, I can’t let you go now.”

“Why?”

Derek furrowed his eyebrows. Did the omega really not know? “Stiles, you’re pregnant.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trying to get both updated at the same time is surprisingly difficult. Imma do my best though.

They ran back silently, Stiles’ head a mesh of emotions. He'd failed. The thought beat at him.  
It was dusk by the time they returned, and he was panting and tired. Erica and Boyd met him at the door and fell in step behind him as Derek departed. There was a look in his eyes that Stiles’ couldn’t understand, and he filed it away for later reference. The weres in the halls were staring at him through the corner of their eyes. Kira passed, with Afton on her hip and gave him a sympathetic smile that he didn’t return. The servants still bowed to him but he felt the whispers behind his back. There were no secrets in Lunae. Stiles kept his chin up and continued walking.

There were guards in front of his bedchamber.

Erica and Boyd left and came back with a plate of food and another bath.

He spent the time turning over the words in his head, preparing them.

Once he was dried and clothed, he stood up. Physically, it was best to appear imposing. Helps to show your dominance in the conversation.  
“Boyd, leave us.”

Boyd looked at Erica, then back at him, “Ummm…”

“I am mated to Derek . By all rights, you are my servants and must obey me.” The commands that came to his lips were like putting on a worn glove that was stiff with disuse.

Erica shrugged, “The guards are right outside the door.”

Boyd nodded and left.

And they were left alone.

“You told me that if I didn’t mate Derek, I’d die. Was that the truth?”

Erica’s face turned to stone, “Yes.” she said, her heartbeat steady.

“Interesting. Because Derek told me a different tale. He said that had I denied his advances, I’d have been released.”

She didn’t even have the decency to look ashamed, “Derek doesn’t know everything.”

“Are you calling my mate a liar?”

“I don’t think Derek has ever lied in his entire life. No, I’m saying that he didn’t know.”

“And who, exactly, would be keeping secrets from Derek Hale?”

Erica was silent.

“Talia.” He said aloud, realizing. She shrugged.

“What did she do?” He asked. She was still silent, but he needed to know, “Tell me.”

She spoke, “Talia knew that Derek had chosen you. She instructed me to get you with him through any means necessary.”

“So you betrayed Derek and lied to me.”

“Was it a lie? Truly? You’re a Stilinski, and that name still means a lot. Men will fight and die for the last son of Stillsea and Talia knows that. You’re a threat. Even if you’d been released she would have found a way to end you.

There was a truth in her words that Stiles hated, “So you listen and follow Talia, not Derek.”

“Everyone follows High Alpha Talia. There are consequences when you don’t.”

Stiles grit his teeth, his anger barely contained, “Get out of my sight.”

Erica bowed and left him alone with his thoughts.

▲▲▲

“You told him he would die!” Derek roared at his mother.

She didn’t even flinch, “I did. And I’d do it again.”

“How could you do something like that? You think I wanted an unwilling mate?”

“You needed a mate Derek. Laura and Kira had Afton at your age. I knew you were a late bloomer but to allow my only son to be alone forever? You think I would let that happen?”

“So you force the first Omega of my choosing to be with me? Stiles is miserable! To the point of actually running away! How is that fair to me or to him?”

“I know you Derek. There wouldn’t have been another, would there? I remember the rejection of that prince of Rhys. It would be him, and only him.”

“You can’t know that. And either way-”

“You said to me that you knew. That the second you smelled him that you were his and he was yours. Isn’t that right?”

“Yes, but that doesn’t give anyone the right-”

“Do you know how rare that is? To catch a scent and know that? One in a hundred. One in a thousand. Do you know the last time something like that happened in our family?”

“You and mom.” A lump had grown in his throat. He’d heard the story half a hundred times. They’d curl up on Talia’s lap and make her tell it over and over again.

“I just smelled her and I knew, deep inside. And that’s how you described it with Stiles. But Stiles was a human, a proud prince of a prickly kingdom that you had just destroyed. They don’t understand things like that. In no universe was he going to say yes to you.”

“It doesn’t matter. That was his right. And you took it away.”

“So I did. But it’s too late now. You’re mated and he’s pregnant.”

Derek rubbed at his eyes. He felt like a fool, “No wonder he was so miserable. I was so confused.”

“I had noticed his scent beginning to lighten these last few weeks.”

“And what do you think he’s going to smell of now?”

“Hopefully fear. Does he think he can run away with no consequences?”

“And how do you think you plan on punishing my pregnant mate?”

“I think a whipping would do him well, but I’m open to suggestions.”

“You will not touch him.” His ironclad control had disappeared and instead he was wolfed out, growling.

Far from feeling threatened, she just smiled at him, “See how much you care for him?

▲▲▲

Stiles awoke to an empty bed. 

Pregnant. He was pregnant. He got up and looked in the mirror. For all intents and purposes, his stomach looked flat. Had he even had any symptoms? Did he even know what they were? He rifled through his brain but for all the books he’d read there wasn’t one that even mentioned bodily changes during pregnancy.

Maybe Derek had been wrong. They hadn’t had sex since his heat.

There was a knock on the door and he dropped his hands, “Come in.”

Boyd was accompanied by a different beta this time, a male with dirty blond hair and a smirk.

“Who are you?”

“I’m Issac. Your new attendant.”

“Where’s Erica?”

Boyd straightened out a pair of pants, “She was reassigned to the kitchen.”

“Why?”

Issac helped him into a shirt, “Derek thought her too susceptible to influence.”

So Derek had seen Talia behind Erica’s actions. Stiles wondered how she could have betrayed the Alpha that had done so much for her.

His days walking alone were over. Boyd and Issac followed him like shadows. His anxiety mounted as they guided him through the corridors. He was going to be punished, he knew. He wondered if they would torture him even with a baby in his belly.

He expected to be led to the throne room but instead they went to the dining room. All the Hales were there, talking and eating. A new table had been brought up, not as grand as the last but still lovely. Laura, Cora, and Derek all looked like they were trying too hard to make everything appear as normal as possible. But ever unaffected, Peter and Talia continued their conversation without missing a beat. Kira gave him a shy smile as he slid into his designated seat next to Derek.

Their lack of acknowledgement of the situation had Stiles anxiety ratcheting up. It was too great to hope there wouldn’t be consequences to his escape. Pregnant or no. Would they whip him? Confine him to solitude? He’d read a story about an omega locked in a tower, who jumped out just to feel freedom.

Without realizing it, he had talked himself to the edge of an anxiety attack. He took a deep breath as silently as possible, not wanting to draw attention to himself. Apparently his pride was growing back because he didn’t want these Hales to see him like this. He knew though, that he wasn’t fooling anyone with his heartbeat rabbiting up.

All of a sudden someone grasped his hand. Derek was looking at him worriedly. Stiles focused on the touch, letting it ground him. He gave Derek a shaky smile. The rest of breakfast passed without event, his disappearance not mentioned except by Peter, who slyly emphasized that he’d been missed for dinner.

Stiles bit back sarcastically, mentioning the joy they all felt when Peter missed dinner. 

Derek smiled.

After breakfast Kira walked with him back to his chambers.

“Am I to be punished?” He asked her.

“Yes. But nothing too serious.”

“What’s going to happen to me?”

“You will be confined to your chambers and kept under guard.”

“That’s it?”

“Why, do you have something better?”

“No- I just meant…” He trailed off.

“Your Derek’s Omega. Your punishment falls to him.”

Stiles sat on his bed, “And he has chosen for me to be stuck here.” It could have been far worse.

She gave him a sympathetic look and handed him a box, “You can accept visitors and visitors bring books. Perhaps it won’t be too terrible with company.”

Stiles examined the box and found that it opened, “A chess board.”

“Do you play?”

“Only a little.” Before, he’d been too preoccupied with other activities to bother with the game. Now, all he had was time.

She smiled and set up the pieces.

Stiles spent the remainder of the day playing chess with Kira and then Boyd and getting to know Issac. With the setting sun Derek arrived, tall and awkward, offering a walk.

Stiles accepted, if only to stretch his legs. Derek offered no conversation and Stiles couldn’t think of one single thing to say to him so they walked up the rocky path in silence.

They arrived on a small cliff, the sun low in the sky, tinging the world with a red glow. Stiles’ breath caught in his throat and for just that second he forgot about what had happened to him. The forest spread out in front of him, vast and endless. It would be forever if it weren’t for the mountains springing up, pale blue in the distance.

“It’s beautiful.”

“I know.”

Derek was not sharing his bed anymore. Where he went, Stiles didn’t know.

▲▲▲

And one day, Stiles began to notice that his belly was protruding just that much. A noticeable amount. He’d chalked it up to indigestion because a lot of the food they’d been eating recently had little and less appeal.

But now, looking in the mirror, it was undeniable. 

Stiles sat down and promptly had an anxiety attack.

Boyd and Issac found him curled in a little ball beneath the blanket, “Are you okay?”

“I’m pregnant.”

“Yes. We know.” Issac said.

Stiles got up and got ready for the day. 

He was present, he supposed, saying the right things, but he wasn’t there. 

Kira looked at him strangely as they played chess, “Are you okay?”

Stiles smiled, “Just fine.”

It had hit him, all at once, that this was real and there was something growing in him. A person. He’d thought...he didn’t know what he thought. He’d thought maybe they were wrong. That it wasn’t real. Smell isn’t an accurate diagnosis.

It wasn’t until the end of the day when he was alone in his bed when he began to cry.

He wanted...he wanted…He wanted his alpha. But the thought disturbed him and he pushed it down. He didn’t want that.

He wanted Stillsea and his people. He wanted his father back and his ships. A deck beneath his feet and the wind in his hair.

He fell asleep crying the next few weeks.


	3. Chapter 3

At dinner, Stiles overheard that Peter and Cora were leaving soon.

“My first conquest.” Cora beamed happily. Stiles hid his scowl in his stew.

“And Peter to Dorian-”

And Stiles almost spit out his stew, “Dorian?”

The table turned to look at him. He didn’t speak much at meals.

Peter folded his napkin, “In a weeks time.”

Stiles no longer felt hungry, “Is Lydia Martin still ruling with the Wittmores?”

“Not for much longer.”

Stiles played with his food. All of a sudden he wasn't hungry.

After breakfast his guards motioned to lead him back to his chambers but Stiles waved them off.

He walked after Peter, who was deep in conversation with Cora. They stopped talking when they noticed his approach.

“Sorry to interrupt.” He said, exuding a confidence he did not feel, “Peter, would you do me the honor of walking me back?”

Cora looked between them, “We’ll catch up later.”

Left alone (or as alone as you can be in Lunae) Peter looked him up and down, “Well?”

Stiles took his elbow and they began to walk down the corridors. His shadows followed him, confused, but too used to following orders to stop him.

“How many kingdoms have you conquered?”

“Why do you want to know?”

“You are my mate’s uncle. Shouldn’t I know your story as well?”

“You’ve never shown an interest before today.”

Stiles chose not to answer that, “I’m guessing four? Maybe five?”

“Six.”

“And were they all bloody conquests like the fall of Neres with Talia?”

“They only call it a conquest if it’s bloody. Like your kingdom, am I correct?”

Stiles grit his teeth. This wasn’t working. He switched tactics, “When do you march on Dorian?”

“Now, why would I want to give a known runaway information on my marches?”

“Because this known runaway is Derek Hale’s Omega.”

“Still a runaway. Tell me, even pregnant and confined to your chambers, do you still dream of freedom?”

“I am quite content with my mate and position.”

“You do, don’t you?”

Stiles did. But there were no chances, no opportunities to take advantage of. They’d been stripped away from him after he’d failed the first time.

Peter looked like he was going to continue but Stiles didn’t like where this conversation was going, “Who wouldn’t miss the Stillsea kingdom? The markets brim with exotic spices and cloth, the ocean crashes against the cliffs. You’ve never been there, but I would encourage you to visit.”

“Have you set up an assassin to murder me in my sleep?”

“You overestimate my power.”

“I still hear reports of those loyal to the Stilinkskis.”

“People that I have no contact with.”

“Not yet, you mean.”

“My home was Stillsea. And along those shorelines, I grew up with a little red-haired girl. Our mothers were fast friends and soon we were too. One time she saw a knight bully a squire and entered the lists to knock him into the dirt.”

“A brave girl.”

“She was married off to secure an alliance with Dorian.”

“Ah. Now I see where this is going.”

“Lydia Martin is a fearsome woman, one that is worth saving.”

“Dorian has refused to bend the knee. My sister has instructed me to fall on them with claw and fang.”

“That is hardly her fault. The Wittmores are a prickly family and she is not Dorian’s ruler. If she had the power, she would open the gates.”

“Just as you did, I'm sure."

“Her pride does not blind like mine does. All I am asking is for you to make an effort to save her. She means a lot to me.”

Peter studied him and Stiles met his gaze.

“Favors from me don’t come free.”

“What do you want?”

“I want you to stay true to your mating vows. Don’t run away. My nephew has been running around stinking of sadness and unfortunately I have a softness for him. You don’t have to bed him, but at least talk to him. You might grow to like him.”

Lydia Martin for a conversation.

“I leave in three days. I expect him to look a little less defeated by then.”

Stiles nodded, “Fine.” He turned to enter his chambers.

“And Stiles… this is war. I make no promises."

“You will do it.”

▲▲▲

And the next day on their walk, Stiles began to talk to Derek. He talked about his day, the new strategies he learned in chess, the weather. He did not want to talk about Stillsea, those were memories he kept guarded in his heart. Derek, after an initial surprised silence, began to respond.

Stiles learned that he was worried about his sister. That she wouldn't understand the realities of war.

On the day Peter and Cora departed, instead of being led back to his chambers, Kira took him back to the nursery.

Malia squealed and ran up to him and Stiles smiled, picking her up and spinning her around.

But with their disappearance, Stiles found he had no interest in keeping up the discussion. Derek had made attempts toward some semblance of a conversation but Stiles could only return one word responses. Both reverted back into silence.


	4. Chapter 4

When Derek came to collect him for their walk, he looked strangely chipper. His face was generally expressionless per usual, but Stiles was beginning to notice he had little tells. Now there was a bounce in his step, a glint in his eye, and instead of turning toward their usual exit, Derek led him farther among the halls.

“Where are we going?”

Derek gave a hint of a smile didn't answer, only continuing forward. For a second Stiles felt fear but dismissed it. This was his mate and they were having a child. No harm would come to him.

They turned a corner and he was confused. They were in the passage that went to the library but as far as he knew Derek had never been much of a reader. But now Derek was holding the door open for him and Stiles walked in and gasped.

Pallets of books were stacked on the ground. More shelves had been placed against the walls and furniture was being brought in.

“It’s for you.” Derek said behind him.

The flood of emotion was instantaneous. Shock spread through him as he gazed around, “You did this?”

“I noticed you’d already read all the books already.”

It was almost too good to be true. Stiles walked over to the piles of books, reverently reading their titles. It was a wonderful selection, histories and fairytales and poetry, his fingers itched to open the covers and examine them, smell them, read them. He selected one and rifled through it.

“I don’t know if you wanted to set it up yourself or we could get someone to-”

“No. I want to do it.” He could see it now. They’d brighten the room with the candles, place the tables toward the end...his thoughts flew around him.

He turned around to look at Derek, who was awkwardly standing at the entrance, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Stiles looked around at the library and took a deep breath.

**Author's Note:**

> I am aware that this pathway does not entirely fit into the first part. I think I probably need to go back and rewrite this separately for it to match completely.


End file.
